Spring Vegetables Marinated Recipes

SPRING VEGETABLES, MARINATED

Steps:

• Combine the oil, vinegar and mustard, tasting as you go so that the proportions of oil to vinegar are correct.
• Cut the garlic cloves in half, leaving the skins on, and with the tip of a knife, remove the greenish or yellow shoot in the center of the clove. Place the garlic in a press and squeeze into the oil-vinegar mixture. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Set aside.
• Preheat broiler. Cut the peppers into strips about two inches wide, removing the seeds. Place the peppers skin side up on a broiling pan and broil until the skins are charred and puffed. Place the pepper strips in a paper bag and close the bag. Let rest for a few minutes, then remove the peppers and peel away the skin.
• Slice the peppers into thin strips. While they are still warm, toss in a little of the garlic vinaigrette sauce and place on a serving platter large enough to hold all the vegetables attractively.
• Place the artichokes in a vegetable steamer and steam until cooked. Peel the fava beans and steam (if you have a Chinese bamboo steamer several layers can be cooked at the same time). Break the cauliflower into florets, trim the asparagus, and steam.
• Slice the tops off the artichokes about one-half inch down and remove the outer leaves. The part you have left should be tender enough to eat whole. Dust the artichokes in some of the vinaigrette dressing and place on the serving platter.
• Peel the tough skin from the fava beans and toss the beans in the dressing. Place on the serving platter along with the cooked cauliflower and asparagus. Pour the remaining dressing over the asparagus and cauliflower and sprinkle the vegetables with the chives. Let sit at room temperature for an hour before serving.

MARINATED VEGGIES

Steps:

• Place the zucchini, red bell pepper, yellow bell pepper, squash, red onion, mushrooms, and tomatoes in a large bowl.
• In a small bowl, mix together olive oil, soy sauce, lemon juice, and garlic. Pour over the vegetables. Cover bowl, and marinate in the refrigerator for 30 minutes.
• Preheat grill for medium heat.
• Lightly oil grate. Remove vegetables from marinade, and place on preheated grill. Cook for 12 to 15 minutes, or until tender.

ROAST & MARINATED QUAIL WITH WARM SPRING VEGETABLE SALAD

Steps:

• Heat oven to 200C/180C fan/gas 6. Mix the marinade ingredients in a shallow bowl and set aside. Season the quail inside and out with salt and pepper. Heat the oil in an ovenproof frying pan, then brown the quail well on all sides. Add the butter and baste the quail. Then pop into the oven for 10 mins. Leave the quail to rest for a few mins until just cool enough to handle.
• Using a large serrated knife, carefully halve each quail straight down the middle, then submerge in the marinade and leave to rest while you make the rest of the dish.
• For the potato salad, mix the crème fraîche, mascarpone, vinegar and spring onions with some salt and pepper. Set aside. Heat the oil in a frying pan and sizzle the potatoes for about 5-10 mins, tossing occasionally until golden.
• Tip the hot potatoes into a bowl and fold through the crème fraîche mixture to bind and dress them. Set aside.
• Snap the tough ends off the asparagus, peel the stalks, then cut each spear in half at an angle. Bring a large pan of salted water to the boil.
• Cook the asparagus in the boiling water for 2 mins until tender but retaining a slight crunch. Drain well. Place in a small bowl and, while still steaming hot, spoon over and toss through a couple tbsp of the marinade. You are now ready to serve.
• Spoon half the potato salad into the centre of a large dinner plate. Lift the quail from the marinade and lay 2 halves, breasts facing inwards, on top of the potato salad. Scatter the leaves evenly around the edge of the plate. Tuck the asparagus spears in a circular fashion among the salad leaves with the tips pointing out. Coat the quail and drizzle the leaves with a little more of the marinade, then serve.

CITRUS-OIL-MARINATED SPRING VEGETABLES

Steps:

• Cook fava beans in a large pot of generously salted boiling water until pale green and tender and skins look swollen, about 5 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer beans to a large bowl of ice water. Let cool completely, about 2 minutes. Remove from ice bath with slotted spoon and peel outer layer from fava beans; set aside.
• Combine asparagus, edamame, and green beans in the same pot of boiling water and cook until bright green and slightly tender, about 3 minutes. Using slotted spoon, transfer to ice bath and let sit until cold, about 10 minutes.
• Using a vegetable peeler, remove zest from lemons, leaving as much white pith behind as possible. Cut lemons in half and squeeze juice though your hand or fine-mesh sieve into a small bowl. Remove peel from orange with peeler; set fruit aside for another use (or eat!)
• Heat oil in a medium saucepan over medium until shimmering, about 5 minutes, then remove from heat. Add garlic and let sizzle until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Stir in lemon and orange zest, thyme sprigs, rosemary sprigs, salt, fennel seeds, red pepper flakes, and sugar. Let cool completely, about 30 minutes.
• Drain vegetables, discarding any remaining ice cubes, and add to infused room-temperature oil along with lemon juice; stir to combine. Transfer vegetables and oil to a 1½-qt. glass jar; cover and chill at least 4 hours before serving. Do ahead: Vegetables can be marinated up to 6 days ahead. Keep chilled.